Jidai no Tsubasa
by Jav-chan
Summary: Purity, power: This is a miko. Where does it come from? To be human is to err, so where does all this purity come from? When a brother and sister come to reveal the truth how will the group handle it? How will things change for Inuyasha & Kagome?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I know what you're thinking. Another story when she promised to finish DGL. This is a co-project so….that's how it goes!**

* * *

**Jidai no Tsubasa**

**Prologue**

**Midoriko's Birth**

* * *

Never before had she felt such intense pain. Her very nerves seemed to be set ablaze! The young woman cursed her family, her husband, all that she held dear.

Never before had she been so at disgust with her surroundings. Grime and mold infested the miserable existence of the birthing hut. The midwife was a stunted creature. A gaijin from a western land, she was of stunted growth and deformed limbs. She hardly seemed fit for her occupation.

"No push." The midwife's heavily accented Japanese was barely audible through the raspy voice.

"But it hurts. I--I need it out!"

"No push." The midwife repeated firmly. She grabbed the woman's arm, her stubby fingers digging deep into the flesh. The words were harder this time. "No. Push."

The laboring woman collapsed against her pillows when the midwife finally released her arm. It provided no relief. Like the bedding, the pillows were lumpy. Grains of horseweed and straw spilled out at the seems. Every part of her body was uncomfortable or in pain.

She let her thoughts wander. It took her mind off of the pain, especially when she thought about just how she had come to this desolate, pathetic village.

The village had no name, and there were very few Japanese that dwelt there. It was mostly a sanctuary for criminals that sneaked onto Western boats that arrived at Youkohama. It was ignored by both the daimyou and the Emperor. Only the samurai took any interest in it.

Their interests were hardly honorable. Rapes and pillages were common occurrences. It was most likely one of the reasons why both her parents and her husband saw fit to leave her here.

Tears started to well in the corner of her eyes. She knew how lucky she was that this midwife had recently found her way to the village. If it wasn't for this woman, then she would be in even more pain than she currently was. She would probably also be dead, but that was something that she would readily embrace. What was the point of living now that everyone had forsaken her?

She could try to blame her husband for experiencing this pain of birth, but it wasn't possible. She hated this child, whatever it may be.

It most certainly wasn't human.

She had tried to explain to her husband so many times that she was still a virgin. He hadn't believed her. _Slut, whore, bitch._ These were only a few of the hurtful words that he had called her. Her mother had taken her to see a miko when she had started showing. Her parents knew it was impossible for the roundness of her belly to be from pregnancy. Yet, they knew it couldn't be anything else.

Indeed, she was with child, impregnated by the seed of some unnatural being. The miko had asked, gently, of a time that the woman could remember when such a thing could have happened.

This inquiry had enraged her father, a powerful daimyou. It seemed to him that the miko was daring to suggest that he was incapable of protecting his own family. He struck the miko down where she stood, and had sent his daughter to this forsaken village. Her parents had found a double to take her place and be a wife to her husband.

Yes, at this very moment, some peasant wretch was enjoying all the luxury and comfort that she had enjoyed as a hime.

If the miko had lived, would she had saved her from this life of misery? Would it have mattered? She had not put the miko's inquiry from her mind. She had thought much on it, in fact—but there were as only one such incident that she had been able to recall, no matter how much she wracked her brain.

A sudden spasm of pain brought the pregnant woman—hime—back to the present. A shrill scream filled the hut. The foreigners of the village populace, even the midwife, cringed away from it.

"Get it out of me!"

* * *

_It was dark. She slept comfortably, her silken sheets and embroidered blankets enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. The soft, silver light of a full moon filtered through the dark clouds._

_A soft wind pushed the clouds along, allowing more of the silver light to seep through the cracks in the shouji doors. As if moved along by some heavenly spirit, the clouds parted, allowing the moon's fill light to shine down on the hime._

* * *

"Okay. Now. Push."

* * *

_The moon seemed unusually bright on this night. As time went by, the silver light seemed to only intensify, sending a soft glow to form around the hime's body. The samurai and shinobi that guarded the daimyou's palace had to shade their eyes against the brightness. _

* * *

"Good, good. Push. Push."

* * *

_But it lasted no more than a moment. _

_"Kaguya-hime, has descended from heaven." Was the murmur that rippled through the guard. Many wondered if they would be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the heavenly maiden, but none dared to leave their posts._

* * *

Another scream of agony resounded._

* * *

__The hime woke suddenly, her dark eyes flying open. Clutching at her sheets, she looked around, her eyes wide but not fearful. It almost seemed as if there was some sort of presence in her chambers-- a comforting, soothing one._

* * *

"Push, push! I see! I see!" The midwife became agitated, excited, and was jumping up and down on her squat feet.

* * *

_The light from the moon quickly faded as she searched the room. It was only when the room was once again enveloped in complete darkness that she noticed the object that had settled onto her pillow._

* * *

The cry of a small infant ripped through the air._

* * *

__A single, curled feather glittered like gold, illuminating the surface of her pillow in the darkness. The hime stared at it for several moments, marveling at its beauty; but when she reached out to touch it, the golden feather disappeared. Its image fading like ripples in the water._

* * *

The infant's mother sagged heavily in her bedding. Exhaustion seeped into her muscles, and she barely could keep her eyes open enough to look at the image of the midwife holding the baby. The gaijin had a tender expression on her face, one that made her even more grotesque, as she held the tiny, bloodied form.

She found herself overcome with such emotion that she had to look away. The midwife seemed delighted with the child. It was pointless, really.

"Girl."

_Girl, boy, it doesn't matter. It won't live much longer._ She was certain that she would be able to reclaim her former life once the child was killed. The thought of her husband wrapping his arms tightly around her body brought such a feeling of warmth and comfort. Her eyes drifted shut, and she willed herself to dream.

"Cord... knife... knife," The midwife muttered as she looked around for something to cut the umbilical cord with. She still held the baby carefully in her arms.

"Would you like me to hold the child?"

It wasn't the suddenness of the voice that startled the gaijin into a shriek that elicited wailing cries from the babe and woke the mother. It wasn't even the deep richness of this defiantly male voice. The midwife was used to people going in and out of her hut as they pleased. It was one of the general rules of the village. Even when looking back, the squat woman would have a difficult time figuring out just what it was about the sudden voice that did startle her.

Maybe it was the fact that the man was unlike any she had ever seen. His skin was a strange tanned bronze. Never before had she seen such a shade. In the orange glow of the late afternoon sun, it seemed almost golden. A dark blush, barely visible beneath the grime, colored the midwife's cheeks when she noticed the man's state of undress. He wore nothing but a pair of white hakama. His torso, like the rest of him, was well tanned and well sculpted. His hair was long and golden and fell down his back and past his waist in a thick braid. Seeing those fair locks made her homesick for her own land.

Ducking his head down—for he was quite tall—the stranger stepped into the hut. Still mindful that the baby was held carefully and comfortably, the midwife continued to stare at him in silence.

"May I hold the child? It will make it easier to cut the cord," he added when he noticed the wariness in the midwife's eyes.

She hesitated a moment before nodding her consent. Keeping his head low to avoid hitting the ceiling, the man stepped towards midwife. He treated the bloodied form with the same tenderness as the midwife. The wails stopped when the infant passed into his arms. He smiled, white teeth flashing, at the big, dark eyes that regarded him curiously.

"Akora! Come in and see her!"

"Did you finally find the child, Akro?"

The voice that answered the rich one of the stranger reminded the hime of bells. It had a beautiful, melodic quality. The owner to this voice soon appeared in the doorway.

She seemed to be the opposite of the golden-haired man. Her skin was very pale and clear, like whitest ivory. It was a great contrast with the ebony of her hair. These tresses fell down in long waves to her ankles.

She was also very small and slim. If it wasn't for the oddness of her silver eyes or the gauzy drapes of purple, red, and gold that concealed her body, she could have easily been taken for a Japanese. A golden linen was draped over one of her arms.

"Oh, bother." This new arrival waited until the midwife had cut off the umbilical cord before she spoke. "Look at all this blood. That's the problem with mortals. Death over beauty." Taking the golden cloth from her arm, she approached the man.

"Who's a pretty little girl? Who's a pretty girl?" Her voice took on a throaty, high pitch that caused the baby to smile broadly and giggle. The cooing continued as she dabbed at the blood, gently wiping the tiny child clean.

"Akora, please stop. You're embarrassing yourself."

"Oh, do be quiet brother. She likes it. Doesn't she?" Akora's voice took on that high-pitch tone once again. She took the baby into her own arms. She brought her nose down close to the infant and rubbed it against the small tummy gently. This elicited another giggle from the baby.

Her brother, Akro, looked away, covering his face melodramatically with one hand to convey his embarrassment.

After a time, she lifted her face away to look at him.

"Oh, stop it!" she scoldeds "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. If you're embarrassed, then it's your own fault. You know how much I love children!"

"You make it sound as if I had a choice to bring you. As if you would have stayed at home."

Akora ignored this. Instead, she began to rock the baby back and forth.

"What should we name her?"

"I don't know. Shoujo?"

"Oh, you males! That's a terrible name!" The pale woman paused as she contemplated a possibility. "There was this one name that I came across in one of the northern provinces of this country. I thought it was very pretty. It means green."

"Like the earth." There was a pause as he seemed to mull over the possibility. "What was it?"

"Midori... but I think this child deserves something more elegant. I have heard that many of the nobles add a syllable to the end of their child's name. One that is of particular popularity with girls is 'ko'. What about Midoriko?"

"If you think it best."

"'If you think it—' Brother, you're terrible! This is your daughter!"

"It's just a name."

"Just! Just! A name isn't just anything! Oh, what Essence would say if she heard you now! Not to mention Muse!"

"You." The voice of the weakened hime quietly interrupted between these two strange siblings. They turned to look at her and their eyes narrowed into looks of contempt.

The hime ignored the glares and, with great effort, shifted into a sitting position.

"Who do you think you are? You… you have no right to take it. That child is mine. It is mine to do with as I please."

The midwife started to whimper and backed away from the siblings into the furthest corner possible. They were emitting a force of some sort that she did not like.

"What would you do with her?" Akro's voice cut through the air like a poisoned dagger.

"What do you think? That child is an abomination!"

"She looks normal enough." Akora replied, her eyes flashing.

"What do you know? Do you realize that I have never lain with any man? I never even got a chance to kiss my husband before I was sent to this forsaken village. That child is unnatural!"

A look that was equally dangerous as his sister's dwelled in the dark depths of Akro's eyes. The taunting that his voice took was enough to soothe any potential fear. If anything, it only roused the hime's anger.

"For a daughter of an influential daimyou, you really are quite brazen. What other hime would declare her chastity so openly? Even the Queens of Africa don't act in such a bold manner."

She flushed crimson. "How dare you! You ignorant peasant! You—you _gaijin_!"

"Oh dear, sister, she called me gaijin."

"Best watch out, dear Brother," muttering under her breath, "moron that you are," then again in a normal tone, "she may send her father's army after you."

"As if that could happen." Akro's smile was almost cruel.

The hime was managing to draw strength from the anger that arose at these insults.

"Well, I best take little Midoriko home. I think she'll like it, Akro."

"Leaving so soon?"

"Well, I don't think that an infant should be around what is about to be said."

"You wound me, sister."

"You'll live. Indeed, how can you not?" she commented dryly. Then with the babe, Midoriko, in her arms, she exited the hut. There was a sound like a great gust of wind and shouting in numerous languages could be heard from the villagers. The hut didn't shake as it would have, but to any of this, no one but the midwife paid any attention.

A silence settled over the hut's inhabitants. Akro regarded the hime stoically as she finally managed to sit up. She rolled off of the futon on shaky legs. She breathed heavily and her form trembled, but she still managed to find the strength to speak.

"You! Come back here! I will do with it what I will! It needs to be killed!" She took several unsteady steps forward. "It must be thrown against a rock or tossed into the seas."

Now, Akro's expression had been steadily darkening as he allowed the hime to speak. By the time she had nearly finished, a great fire burned in those dark eyes. He waited until she paused to take a gasping breath before approaching her.

Not saying a word, he reached one hand out, smirking when she flinched and took a step back. This one hand he pressed firm against her chest and just as quickly withdrew. The hime went stumbling back, and fell on the floor hard. She stayed there, staring with glazed eyes, unsure as to whether it was her weakness or the suddenness of the push that startled her so.

Akro left without saying a word.

It would be quite some time before the hime had collected herself enough to notice this, and when she did, she would notice a trail of glittering, golden feathers curled in the shape of a crescent. A horrible realization would dawn on her as they vanished just as before—like ripples in the water. Stunned, she would only bring herself to whisper one word:

"_Tsubasa_."

**

* * *

****Japanese Vocabulary**

**gaijin  
**foreigner

**tsubasa  
**wings

**daimyou  
**feudal warlord

**hime  
**princess

**shinobi  
**ninja

**tennyou  
**angel/celestial maiden

**Kaguya-hime  
**A tennyou from the moon that was born in a bamboo tree in Japan and raised by an elderly couple. She had many suitors, including the emperor, and after putting a set of impossible tasks before them, left for the moon. This broke the hearts of all that had loved her.

**shouji  
**traditional Japanese screen, sliding doors

**hakama  
**A pair of baggy, traditional Japanese pants. Worn mostly by men and Shinto priestesses and priests. In later periods, was worn by girls from well to do families.

**shoujo  
**girl

* * *

**A/N: I just want to take a moment to thank Regreme for making this story possible (and for his patience). This backbone of this story goes completely to him. It was all his idea.I just give it flesh. I hope you all enjoyed it. I have no idea when the next chapter will be out. This whole story is being constructed through AIM. Unlike my usual stories it's non-AU. Things are about to get really interesting for the Inu-gumi. **

**_Jav-chan_ **


	2. Your Everyday Mess

**Jidai no Tsubasa**

**Chapter One**

**Your Everyday Mess**

* * *

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was warm for early spring. Nearby, a sakura tree was just starting to bud. If she closed her eyes, Kagome could almost hear the birds sing.

The nearby yells and curses quickly pulled her out of her reverie.

"Kagome?"

She reached up a hand to pat the head of the kitsune cub perched on her shoulder.

"Hai, Shippou-chan?"

"You ok?"

Kagome couldn't help to smile when Shippou placed his tiny hand on her cheek.

"I'm fine, just a little bruised."

"You really scared Inuyasha."

"Naraku!"

Kagome sighed as Inuyasha's battle cry reached her ears.

"See Kagome? Inuyasha's really giving Naraku hell."

"It's just a kugutsu, Shippou-chan. You know that."

"I know! But look, he's still pressing it really hard!"

"Mmm..." It was the only response that she could muster. Shippou wasn't there. He hadn't seen who else had been hit by the blast.

She felt terrible for feeling this way. She hated this feeling. The jealousy was clouding her thoughts, pulling her mind away from the battle. Who had Inuyasha really meant to save when the attack had sent her and Kikyou flying?

The pressure of the attack had sent them both flying in the same direction, but Kikyou had been the one to land in the hanyou's arms. Kirara had been the one to come to her rescue, and even then, Kagome had been unable to land without injury. She hadn't been fast enough to wrap her arms around the youkai's neck and pull herself onto Kirara's back. The resulting consequence had been minor abrasions and cuts while Kirara was suffering from a sprained leg. Her youki would heal it by tomorrow, but in the meantime, that meant that they were one warrior short.

After all, Kagome couldn't really bring herself to say that she counted. It was like Inuyasha always said, she was 'more of a nuissance' than anything else.

Sometimes, just sometimes, Kagome wished she was just a little bit stronger than Kikyou. She would even settle for being her equal. Just anything to make Inuyasha see her as something more than an annoyance.

A soft snarl rippled through the soft bundle of fur that she held in her arms, forcing her to return her concentration to the battle.

"Sango!" It was hard to discern the priest from the others; they stood so far away from the battle. There, she could see him, running in his purple and black robes to a spot that led away from Naraku. Kagome winced as she saw the figure of her best friend, Sango, slam against the ground violently. Hiraikotsu landed just a few feet away from the two humans.

Kirara moved restlessly in Kagome's arms. The young miko tried to calm the kitten-formed youkai by softly petting her head. The tips of her fingers gently scratched the base of Kirara's ears, but it only served to irritate the youkai even further. She nipped at the pinky finger when it rubbed against her cheek.

Kagome couldn't help the gasp that escaped from her lips. It wasn't that it hurt, but it did surprise her. She quickly withdrew her hand. Kirara used the distraction to jump down from the girl's arms. She let out a pathetic cry when she discovered that her abused limb couldn't even afford to support her slight weight. Shippou jumped down from Kagome's shoulder onto the grass beside the neko. His tiny hand stroked the creamy fur as he whispered to her.

"Be careful, Kirara. You shouldn't move yet."

Kagome couldn't help but smile at the cute picture that the two small youkai made. The roars of pain and rage seemed so distant to her ears. Why was it that she could so easily take her mind off a difficult battle? How could she so easily distract herself from the fact that her friends' lives were in danger?

What was wrong with her?

Lately she was so distracted, from everything. It was harder to concentrate on the things that were important to her. School, even the hunt for the shards. It wasn't that she didn't try. There were just times--usually at school, when she was attempting to study, or late in the night--when she wanted to scream for the aching emptiness that filled her.

Even the void that was created when the ogress had transferred some of her soul into Kikyou's clay body hadn't created anything this bad.

But why did this void seem to increase so much, as of late? Why did she feel that she was missing some important, vital part?

* * *

Inuyasha all but collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. He was forced to use Tessaiga for support. His muscles spasmed, causing his arms to shake slightly, as the reverted blade sunk into the ground with a wet 'slock'.

It was over. No one had gained any ground. The loss of a kugutsu was all that Naraku had suffered. Kikyou had long since left, carried into the air by her soul-stealing youkai. The steady supply of souls that those youkai supplied her with had kept her strong and firm throughout the entire battle. As for the rest of them, they were all exhausted, tired, and hurt.

Well, maybe with the exception of one person.

Inuyasha felt a shudder go through his spine when his vision rested on a distant hill where Miroku and Sango had taken Kagome, Kirara, and Shippou. He could hardly make out her figure for all of his exhaustion. She seemed to blend into the tree that she stood against. Occasionally, a small breeze, left over stirrings of the shouki manipulating the air, tousled her hair a bit; but for that, she was still.

Inuyasha shook his head violently, instantly regretting the action when his vision swam. At least the motion destroyed that half-formed thought. He refused to worry or feel guilty.

Blood trickled down his forehead, a few spots marring his already obscured vision. Very abruptly, he released his hold on Tessaiga and sat down. Shit! Why was he so fucking dizzy?

"Sango! Miroku! Go get Kagome. We need to move. I smell a wimpy wolf."

"You go and get her yourself, Inuyasha. You're a hanyou. You should be able to handle a quick walk up the hill."

"Quick! Listen here, bouzu! While you and Sango were out prancing around I was—"

Inuyasha found himself cut off abruptly by a sudden whirlwind.

That, and the set of feet that had planted themselves on his back.

"And what were you doing, Inu-kuro? You certainly can't call that fighting."

Just when he thought the day couldn't possibly get any worse… Of course, the silver lining was the fact that tonight was a new moon. A growl vibrated deep from within, and somehow, the silver-haired hanyou was able to find enough strength to get Kouga off of his back.

"Get the hell off of me!"

"With pleasure, Inu-kuro. Can't stand your stench, anyways." Kouga smirked at the irritated growl. "Now, where is my woman?"

Inuyasha didn't even have time to sputter out a response before the wolf scented Kagome from the hilltop.

"At least you're smart enough to keep my mate away from Naraku while I'm away."

"Mate!" Inuyasha's protests fell on deaf ears as Kouga rushed over to Kagome. "She not your mate! She's—" He let out a string of profanaties when his attempt to stand caused his wounds to bleed more profusely.

"Calm down, Inuyasha."

The hanyou lifted up his head to see Miroku and Sango making their way towards him. Their movements were slow and steady, and they leaned on each other for support. Briefly, Inuyasha wished that he was allowed the same luxury, but that was quickly stamped down.

He was half youkai! He didn't need anyone's help after a battle! Least of all Kagome's!

"At least this saves you the trouble of fetching Kagome and Shippou," Miroku said. He and Sango stopped and looked over in the direction that Kouga had bounded off in. The taiji-ya leaned away from the priest, hissing when the cool air met her stinging wounds. Her brows narrowed as she tried to judge how long it would take Kouga to bring Kagome back. At the very least, it would take a few more moments.

"I hope Kirara's ok," she murmured softly.

"Keh." It was painful, but Inuyasha had finally managed to pull himself up into a pulling position. He looked down disdainfully at the blood that stained his haori an even darker scarlett. This was going to be one of those times that he was grateful for Kagome's healing supplies, the thing that she called a 'first aid kit'. Hopefully, it would still be in the cave they had spent the previous night in when they got back.

It had been the presence of a jewel shard that had them out onto this grassy plain. A minor youkai had possessed it, so the group had seen no reason as to why they should break up camp.

Of course, that minor youkai would have been one of Naraku's traps.

"So, Inuyasha?"

He turned his head to look at Sango, who had crouched down beside him.

"Why did you pick Kikyou over Kagome?"

* * *

She had sensed Kouga moments before he had landed on Inuyasha's back, and she had heard the hanyou's enraged howl, but she didn't care.

She still felt strange.

She was vaguely aware of Shippou's insistant tug on her sock. She could dimly hear his voice telling her that the battle was over and that it was time that they headed back towards the others.

Kagome didn't bother to respond. She leaned her head back on the tree behind her and closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath.

_

* * *

_

_Fog surrounded her, a strange silvery mist that brimmed with power. Kagome looked around in a daze. What was this? She tried to move, but couldn't. _

_Why didn't that startle her?_

_**Look up**. A bodiless voice echoed the command._

_Kagome followed the direction, her eyes slowly starting to close as she did so. It was a marvelous sensation, like dozens of tiny down feathers caressing her skin. _

_Her eyes closed._

* * *

"Kagome!"

Her eyes snapped open, and she blinked, a bit disoriented and more than a little annoyed that the feeling was gone. She really wasn't seeing the person, male, that was in front of her gripping her forearms tightly. He repeated her name again, this time his voice was tinged with concern, and the miko couldn't help the instinctive response.

"Inuyasha?"

The moment the words left her mouth Kagome realized her mistake. The concerned eyes that were peering deep into her own were not the warm amber of the hanyou, but rather, the cool blue of Kouga. A blush crept onto her cheeks the moment she realized her mistake, and she quickly tried to rectify it.

"Kouga-kun! Gomen! I thought you were—um—I mean--"

A strange, almost strained expression flitted across the wolf youkai's face before he grinned. He all but crushed her to his chest.

"Umm, Kouga-kun?" She reached the one hand that wasn't pinned between the two of them to tap him lightly on the shoulder. "Kouga-kun? I should probably get back to the others. They might be injured."

"Leave him alone, Kagome. Inu-kuro doesn't deserve your help."

"That's sweet Kouga-kun, but I was talking about Miroku-sama and Sango-chan."

"Oh," was Kouga's brilliant response, but he still refused to relinquish his hold on Kagome.

"Kouga-kun?" Once again, she tapped his shoulder.

"Hmn?"

"I can't breathe."

Immediately, Kouga released her, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry."

Kagome took a step back, trying to regain the oxygen that she had lost from that crushing embrace, when she found herself lifted off her feet, and nestled safely in Kouga's arms.

"Time to go." His grin seemed to be a little too bright. "From the looks of it, those humans probably need your help, Kagome"

It was just as the wolf leapt into the air that Kagome remembered something.

"Wait! What about Shippou and Kirara?"

* * *

Inuyasha was none too pleased to see Kagome cradled in the arms of his rival. The hint of a growl started to form only to be quickly broken off. As much as he hated it, he was in no position to start a fight with the wolf especially with night, that hated night, quickly approaching. It had been late afternoon when Kagome had first detected the shard's presence, and already, the sky was beginning to show the faintest hints of pink, a warning to the approach of dusk. It took all of his self control to force himself to settle down. If he hadn't felt so weak and been in so much pain, then he wouldn't have been able to succeed in this small restraint. Inuyasha forced himself to take deep breathes and wait for Kouga to let Kagome down, so that she could tend to him.

Why was the wolf taking such a long time in letting her down!

Inuyasha's control slipped a couple of notches when he noticed the smug look that Kouga was sending his way as he carefully set Kagome down. The damn bastard was doing it on purpose!

He dug his claws deep into the dirt. He didn't care about the dirt that was lodging under his nails, or the fact that he would have a hell of a time getting it out later. It was the only thing that was preventing him from slicing his claws through Kouga's skin. Oh, how he would love to feel the wolf's blood on his claws... _Bastard._ _Put her down. It's not like she got hurt... much…_ Mentally, the hanyou shook his head and once again, stopped another half-formed thought. He took another breath and dared to look up.

Good.

Kagome was out of Kouga's grasp and walking towards him. Inuyasha frowned when he tried to breathe in her scent, but only caught a faint scent. _Damn, already?_ Still the scent was there, and it was enough to calm him down a bit.

Then, she walked passed him.

The hanyou did a double take, his amber eyes wide with shock, when Kagome finally knelt next to Sango and Miroku.

What the hell!

She didn't seem to be angry. He couldn't trace any scent of anger on her and her profile was lax. Granted, his nose wasn't what it usually was and would continue to be so until the sun rose next, but her body was giving away none of the usual signals it did when he did something wrong.

So why the hell was she ignoring him?

"Oi, Inu-kuro!"

The hanyou's only response was to send Kouga a slanted glare.

Kouga looked over at Kagome, as if to make sure she was preoccupied, before crouching next to Inuyasha. The youkai's eyes had darkened to a shade more closer to beryl then the normal azure. When he spoke, it was in a threatening growl.

"I don't care if it was just a damn scrape. I don't ever want to see my woman hurt because you're an incompetent hanyou. The next time I smell blood on her, you will answer to me. I will kill you, regardless of how she feels about it. Especially if I find you've been protecting another woman. I leave my mate in your care, and I expect her to be safe that way." Kouga stood up then, and sauntered over to Kagome.

Inuyasha found himself unable to respond to the insinuation as the thoughts that he had refused to let form finally did. It was with dull eyes that he watched Kagome stand up to face Kouga. He couldn't bring himself to call forth the anger at the way the wolf griped her hands as usual, or at the way Kouga dipped his head down to meet Kagome's lips with his own in a good bye kiss.

His mind hardly even registered the way the three humans stared after the wolf youkai in shock at his actions. Even Shippou's shrill wail at being left behind alone with Kirara didn't grate on his nerves like it usually did, so consumed was he with the thoughts that he had refused to let form.

All it had taken was a growled threat from his rival to break through that wall.

Dully, his eyes took in the nasty scrapes that marred the bare skin of Kagome's legs. The skin around her knees was worn, making it undoubtedly painful as she helped to ease Sango up. She was muttering something about how they needed to get back to the cave so that she could give their wounds proper attention and winced. Inuyasha felt another stab of guilt when he noticed the bruises, a mix of a sickly yellow and a vivid purple, that were forming on her shins.

He didn't know what it was that made him choose Kikyou over Kagome. Kikyou had her soul stealers to heal her wounds. What did Kagome have? She was frail, weak.

Well, at least when it came to the hand to hand to battle.

She had a firey temper and was the only one out of the entire group that had actually managed to harm the real Naraku , but...

Inuyasha let out a growl of frustration, ignoring the strange looks the others cast his way. None of these explained why he had just abandoned Kagome like that! Gods! Why was he always torn between the two of them? Things would be so much easier is Kagome looked less like Kikyou, especially when she got depressed. Hell, they would be a hell of a lot easier if he had been able to stop the ogress and had kept Kagome safe.

Something about this last thought caused his blood to run cold.

Not knowing what had really happened that day. Not being able to see her again—even if she did smell of clay, grave dirt, and sorrow-- did he really mean it?

The hanyou lowered his head out of guilt. He cared for both of them. Kikyou was his first love, and he would always be there for her until her soul could find rest. Besides, the ogress' spell had allowed him to discover the truth behind the assumed betrayal. Kagome...

Well, what was she to him?

She was the first person to ever accept him for what he was, to accept him wholely and unconditionally. Never had she shown fear towards him. Maybe she feared for him, but never did she seem to think that he would harm her.

Even after he had slaughtered all of those humans in his youkai form.

She wasn't just a friend. She was more than that, but how much more? How much did he care for her?

It was something he thought about many a time. What were his exact feelings for the futuristic miko? How do they compare with the ones that he had—still has—for Kikyou? The silver-haired hanyou slumped in defeat. It always came down to the same question:

Who would he choose, and why?

* * *

Kagome was starting to feel a bit like a bitch. When Kouga had set her down, she could see how much pain Inuyasha was in. His wounds were bleeding quite freely. Did he really think she forgot what tonight was? She kept as keen a watch on the lunar cycle as he did. After all, how many times had he nearly lost his life during the new moon? Sometimes, she wondered who worried about it more.

But still...

…maybe he should suffer just a little bit more.

"KAGOME!"

Kagome's soft hiss when she turned in the direction of the kitsune's voice was in time with Inuyasha's own grunt of pain. In the not-so-far distance, a balloon-like creature, the color of fresh salmon, was quickly making its way towards the group.

"Come on, Sango-chan." She motioned for Miroku to go over by Inuyasha. Carefully, the monk helped transfer the weight to the school girl and only when Kagome looked steady on her feet did he join the hanyou. "Lets go get Kirara."

Sango made a sort of non-committable sound and allowed herself to be dragged away.

The transformed kitsune was moving at such a breakneck speed that the two women had only moved several steps before Shippou was right in front of them, skidding to a halt. He hovered for a bit, allowing the wounded neko to make an easy jump to Sango's shoulder before changing back with a light 'poof' and misty smoke that quickly dissipated.

"Kagome! How could you let that wolf leave us there!"

"Gomen ne, Shippou-chan." She reached up to stroke his russet hair when he latched onto her shoulder. "I tried to stop, but you know how Kouga-kun can be."

The small group of youkai and women turned to head back to join their male counterparts. There was a disturbing scent coming from Kagome that caused the kit to sniff the air delicately. He brought his nose closer to her cheek.

"Kagome?"

"Hmn?"

"Why do your lips smell like Kouga?"

It wasn't just Shippou's innocent question that caused the blood in Kagome's cheeks to heat until her skin was a fair shade of red. Embarrassing more still was the way she briefly recalled the lingering feel Kouga's lips had left against her own.

Kagome wasn't sure on how she knew it, but there had been something cocky that had underlined the gentleness of the kiss. There was something about that knowledge that had her indignant and flustered at the same time.

Inuyasha's soft growl didn't register with the mind of the school girl, and it was only after Shippou repeated the question several times that she was able to pull herself from her thoughts.

"It's nothing, Shippou-chan" was the absent reply. Her thoughts lingered just a little longer on the kiss. Then, with a violent, physical shake of her head, they dissipated, and the occasion was pushed away into some unknown corridor of her mind.

Miroku got up from Inuyasha's side, this time a bit stiffly, and walked over to the girls. He took a gentle hold of Sango's elbow, which cause the Taiji-ya to eye him suspiciously. Leaning forward, he whispered something into her ear. This something was whispered so softly that not even Shippou, with his proximity to the two and his youkai hearing, could hear what was being said. Sango regarded the monk silently for a moment, confusion evident on her face. Indeed, the monk had spoken so softly that even the addressed had trouble discerning the word. Then, a light lit up in her eyes, and she understood.

"Come on, Shippou-chan." Her voice was coaxing, but the fact that she had a firm grip on the kit's tail spoke very differently. The kitsune really was given no room to object and was forced to move to share a shoulder with Kirara. Sango then shifted all of her weight over to lean against the monk. Her muscles were tense ready, for any amount of groping from Miroku, but even he was too bruised and tired to rub the curve of her hip. The two then headed back to camp leaving, Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

The awkwardness that usually followed a silent argument lasted all but a few seconds, then Kagome saw just how badly Inuyasha was injured. Any awkwardness was quickly replaced with a flood of guilt. His injuries were much worse than her quick glances had led her to believe. Blood oozed from open wounds.

Black blood had crusted under his claws, and nearly all of his skin was covered with the crimson liquid. More horrible still was the condition of his left shoulder. A nasty run in with the shouki had eaten away at the haori and the creamy gi underneath it. The expanse of bare skin was blistering in an angry, bubbling red, and some parts had even been burnt black. Kagome quickly looked over at the sinking sun, her face starting to go pale with worry. It was obvious that the wound was painful enough for the hanyou now.

How much worse would it be when the sun had set?

Inuyasha was doing his best to ignore her. Pressing his filthy palms flat against the ground, he finally managed to get up onto his feet. He swayed, a bit unsteady, and from then on, all of Kagome's actions were instinctual. She was at his side in an instant. Gripping an arm, she helped to steady him.

True to his nature, Inuyasha stubbornly refused her help, trying to shake her off. He didn't care how much the action caused his vision to swim. Indignation spurred him on. Even now, he could still picture Kouga bending down to kiss her; he could see the damn wolf succeeding. It probably wouldn't have hurt half as much if she had checked on his injuries before seeing to Sango and Miroku.

Of course, by this time, the hanyou conveniently forget that he had passed Kagome for Kikyou.

Kagome didn't give herself time to be hurt. Besides maybe, just a little, she deserved it. What gave her the right to assume that simply because he had saved her so many times before that Inuyasha would choose to save her over Kikyou? It didn't matter if the miko was undead and that her body was made of clay and grave soil. She was still the woman he had loved. She was the still the woman that he would die for. Besides, she had promised him, once, that she was content to be by his side. It was a vow she made and was something she would have to live with. Kagome grabbed at his arm again.

"Come on, Inuyasha, we need to get you back to the camp. The sun's almost set."

The hanyou snorted and refused to look at her. It was reluctant, but she was finally able to get him to allow her to help him walk. Could he notice the way the black was starting to leech into his silver? What about the violet dots that shimmered amongst the gold? Although she couldn't see his face, Kagome knew the eyes were starting to dull into a mortal hue.

"Are you alright?" His breathing was starting to become more ragged. Why did the trees and rocks seem to take the shape of youkai and bandits? Why did the branches seem like claws reaching out to slice their flesh. Twilight was almost upon them, and Inuyasha was growing more human by the moment. This was no time for her to be seeing monsters in the dark. It was no time for her to act like some frightened child.

"I'll live." The words, meant to sound indifferent, were laced with pain.

"Mama gave me some really good ointment that helps stop the bleeding quicker. It also has some pain relievers..." Kagome let her voice trail off when she noticed how rigid the hanyou was holding himself. "I... I can give you something to help you sleep. Naraku won't attack again, at least not for tonight."

It didn't need to be said, but somehow, it made Kagome feel better saying it. She liked to think that it made Inuyasha feel better, too; he seemed less tense.

"Youkai will probably attack."

"Sango and Miroku will take care of it. You're hurt," she glanced at his burnt shoulder, "badly. Some aloe vera will soothe the burn."

Another snort from her nearly human companion.

A silence, not uncomfortable like the last, spread between them and on they walked.

Something about her presence made the haze of pain that was starting to envelop Inuyasha's mind all that much more bearable. Her grip on his arm was gentle as she guided him through the forest. Her scent was fading, a signal that he was nearly human, and he was wondering as to whether or not he should wrap his good arm around her waist just so he could breathe in her scent better. It was more pride than anything else that helped to restrain the hanyou. After all, she still hadn't apologized about ignoring him, letting him suffer more than he already was, and then, there was the kiss...

Once again Inuyasha had conveniently forgotten the incident that had to do with Kagome's earlier actions.

Inuyasha didn't catch the hesitant look that Kagome was giving him, nor did he notice the way one of her wands moved down his arm. He didn't catch the soft "Gomen ne.". He noticed none of these things until she held his now human hand in her own. Upon feeling the gentle, hesitant grip that she offered to him, he looked at her face. Again, he was surprised to see a light blush staining her cheeks. Suddenly, he was very aware how close they were. He tried to look anywhere but at her, and to ignore the fact that he could once again smell her scent; but all of Inuyasha's stubbornness couldn't prevent his body from responding in its own way.

He squeezed her hand, and threaded her fingers with a few of his own. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small smile grace her face, and he knew.

All was forgiven.

* * *

It was a rare day. Yokohama Harbor was empty of foreign vessels, and the merchants and their guards had long since retired to their inns. The only people to be found wandering the streets of the harbor city were the few geishas who dwelt there. These refined, elegant women took care to avoid the whores that had also taken an interest in the day. They could hardly even care enough to sneer in the directions of these fallen women.

The light of rays brought down by the sun was soft, and a cool breeze kept the air from getting humid. It was the kind of weather that kept people away from the beach.

Which suited the beach's two occupants just fine.

When last this little girl was seen in Japan, it was in a forsaken village, one of a grimy and fear-ridden condition. Her own mother might have regretted her first contemplations she had of how she would kill the child if she had seen the type of girl she was growing into.

Her small form was wrapped in gauzy, white robes that did nothing to hinder her movements as she ran down the wet beach, beckoning to her guardian. Her ebony hair, which was usually in a braid that fell to her ankles, was in wild disarray. Contact with salt water made it stringy and salt ridden while contact with the beach left it sandy. Young Midoriko let out a high-pitched giggle when her guardian started after her in brisk jog. She ran further down the beach, dragging her long hair on the ground.

Akro started to run faster when he noticed the sudden proximity between his daughter and the harbor.

"Midoriko! Come back here. We have to go soon."

"Not yet, Papa! I want to see the humans. Is it true they don't have wings? Are they really like me?" She stopped running to look back at him, the eager expression apparent to Akro even with the distance that spanned between them.

It had only been a few months since he had taken his daughter away from the horrible princess, and Midoriko had become quite accustomed with her life in the heavens. For her, each month Above had passed as a year in the human realm. Now she looked to be a little girl, between the ages of three and five. Her hair was unusually long, an eccentricy that caused Akro to worry. The weight of the raven strands that coiled at her feet and could trail the surface that she walked upon when it was unbound caused her no pain Above, but amongst the mortals and all the rules of nature that accompanied the earth, it was a torture. Why, they had been in Japan for no more then a few minutes when Midoriko had started to complain of a growing headache.

The fair-haired tenshi had been quite reluctant to comply with his daughter's demands and would have rathered to have taken flight to the heavens instead of staying on Earth. However, this visit was something of a treat for Midoriko. She spent much of her free time gazing down on the earth, and had—more than once—expressed a desire to visit the white beaches. She longed to witness small waves gently crashing against the earth. He had promised to take her to Japan if she managed to pass the exams that would allow her to start her studies of heavenly powers.

Midoriko had done more than pass the exams. She had excelled, surpassing the expectations that everyone had placed for the half-blood. Indeed, she had done so well that she was being placed under mentors whose specialties were much more advanced than what was expected for a beginner. Her own Aunt Akora among them.

This was the reason why Akro was forced to undo the elaborate braids and retract the lacquered clips and combs from Midoriko's hair when her complaint raised to a whine before it could escalate into a wail.

Despite himself and the heavy feeling the mortal plane left on his senses, the father found himself smiling at the way his daughter ran down the beach, splashing through the water and laughing, all while her hair was trailing behind her like an ebony train.

Still he didn't feel quite comfortable being so close to a town with his daughter. They needed to stay away. There still could be some stragglers on the pier. The aura should have been enough to convince all mortals to stay in their homes, but the shopping geisha and the shops that were open were proof that he had, once again, underestimated the humans and their _free will. _

Midoriko suddenly stopped to look back at him, oddly quiet, and for the first time that day, Akro noticed a haggard look in her eyes. What had happened to her former cheer? The haggard look was one that came with growing up too quickly, and the sadness it brought. Akro gave in to the paternal need to get rid of that haggard look. A thought had his wings reappearing at his shoulder blades, and he was gliding through the air, coasting on the gentle wind currents until he landed next to his mortal daughter.

Several inches of the feathers of his wings, a softer white than mortals could conceive, rested on the wet sand. The cool sea water lapped at their feet. Akro rested a hand on the top of her head in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Times like this, he wished he had the time to adapt to being a father, like the human mortals did. It was all so new to him.

"There are no ships." It wasn't a question.

He remained silent.

"This," the high-pitched tone of a laughing child had been replaced with the solemn one of an adult, "This is Japan's only harbor to the outside. To the other countries."

"It is."

"Is it right?"

Akro glanced down at her. He trailed his fingers through the dark tresses, imitating the manner his sister used to calm Midoriko. "That is not for us, for the winged ones, to decide. For all tenshi, all tennyou... it is forbidden for us to influence humanity's decisions."

"But not me."

"No, not you. You are the one who could change this."

"Aki-papa, are the others right? Am I—am I taboo?"

He couldn't answer her.

Midoriko stepped closer to her father and clutched his robe. Her voice now changed to that of a child-- a frightened, unsure, lonely child. Nothing more than a breath of a whisper. "I want to go home."

Silent still, Akro gathered his tiny mortal into his arms, waiting for her arms to wrap around his neck before unfurling his wings. He flapped them once to get rid of the tiny grains of sand and took to the sky.

When they neared the heavens, the heavy atmosphere left Youkohama, and the inhabitants were filled with a sudden need to do something. To resume their normal routines.

It had been a bad idea to come after all.

**

* * *

**

**Kitsune **Fox demon.

**-chan **Suffix adding to end of the names of girls and small children.

**Kugutsu **Naraku's puppets.

**Neko **Cat.

**Miko **Shinto priestess.

**Shouki **Miasma.

**Inu-kuro **Dog turd.

**Bouzu **Rude slang for a low level buddhist monk.

**Gomen ne **I'm sorry.

**Tenshi **Angel.

**Tennyou **Heavenly maidens.

* * *

**Well, this chapter took forever to get out. I was having trouble with this one. I had started out writing to Regreme one way it was going to begin, forget about it, and did another one. He decided on the combination. Thanks a ton, hun! I have no idea when the next chapter will be out. We're both struggling with ideas. I have something forming so…we'll see! I must admit this fic is hard for me. I'm writing Regreme's story so any ideas I have need to be okayed by him. It's so tough, but it's still a lot of fun. He's also working on a Kingdom Hearts fic with another author and when I find out the link I'll post it on my bio. Check it out! Or else…. **

**KU, KU, KU, KU! **


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